The new Loblaw grocery store chain flagship boasts a five-metre-tall wall of cheese, a sushi market and a walk-in wine room.

“I don’t know how much (Loblaw) bought the building for but I’m confident they’ll make their money back quickly,” former Toronto mayor John Sewell said.

Sewell, a founding member of the now-defunct Friends of Maple Leaf Gardens, is one of many who had been concerned the heart and soul of the iconic building – hockey – would be lost. But that concern, he said, has eased.

“The upper tier of the building has been converted into a hockey-specific arena for the Ryerson Rams,” Sewell said. “I think it’s great that a team will still call this place home.

“Hockey is still very much a part of the building’s history.”

Kourdah agreed.

“I’m a huge Leafs fan and I love the history of this place,” he said. “It’s like shopping in a museum. It’s great.”